Fan



March 19, 1946. c. PoF 2,396,749

FAN

Filed Aug. '7, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 67962] Foff' INVENTOR.

7 17 flayimwva ATTDR'NEYS Patented Mar. 19, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CecilPofi, Tulia,-Tex. 7 Application August/7, 1944, sesame. 543,373

(erase-259) 8 Claims;

My present invention has'reference to improve- ;ments in air circulating fan mechanisms, and

more particularly, it is my purpose to provide means for increasing the range and effectiveness of circulation, to improve upon the drive mechanism, to simplify and refine and render more practical and effective the supporting structure for the fan and power plant, and to provide means for directing air currents so that the desired effects are attained where most needed.

Among the many objects and advantages of my invention may be briefly defined the following: (1) to provide an improved arrangement of dual, vertically spaced fans for inducing-and directing most effective air circulation, (2) to provide improved shields for; directing and increasing circulation, (3) to design and construct a supporting structure which has increased efficiency in inducing air circulation, and which is improved in strength, simplicity and appearance, (4) to provide improved drive means, and 5) to render more practical, emcient and desirable fan structures of this broad character. However, changes may be made 'in form, size, shape, arrangement and construction of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and the purview of the claims appended hereto. i

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated a preferred form. of my invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofmy invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transversesection on the line 4- of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a vertical section on line 5-5 of Figure '2 and shows the air guide and deflecting sleeves, the fans and vertical drive shaft and the motor and supporting frame;

Figure 6 is a transverse section on the. line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a detail of the base support and guide ring for the vertical side frames;

Figure 8 is a vertical section of the gear transmission wherein the fans are in gear to reversely rotate, and

Figure 9 is a vertical section where the lower fan is out of gear and latched or keyed to rotate with the vertical drive shaft and in unison and in the same direction as the upper fan.

In the drawings wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like or similar parts:

The numeral l designates a vertical fan stand having a base 2, diametrically opposed vertical frames 3 and BIILODBH: dome shaped top 4, having arcuate diametrically'jopposedframe members 5;towhichare attached'spaced annular ribs 6. The frame members 5=may or may not be integral with the vertical frames 3 and the ribs may be welded, rivetedfor otherwise attached to frame" members 5: i As shown in Figures 1 and 5, outwardly, downwardly, inwardly and upwardly curved supports 1 for neon lighting member 8 arealso provided on, frames 3 as well as suitable decorationsli, thesesupports may be integral with frames s Mounted on abaseplate l0, see'Figure 6, having supporting feet ll -is an electric motor l2, suitable openings l3 being provided in the base plate for bolts lewhich engage the top l5 supported on the cylindrical side walls l6 about the motor to'form a housing for the motor. The

heads of the bolts l4 extend through the base,

as shown in Figure 5, and are countersunk. Ver tical'frames 3 have their bottom ends I! seated inopeningsin thebase as at l8 and are seated in notches l9 and 20 in the base plate It) and top it respectively. The base plate H) is raised frombase 2 by notched-blocks 2! to give the motor free air circulation. As shown in Figure 3, the top I 5 is provided with suitable ventilating openings 22, and centrally on the top is an antifrictional bearing member 23 through which the vertical drive shaft 24 of the motor extends. This shaft is splined or keyed to the vertical driven shaft 25. Shaft 25 extends to the top of the dome .4 whichhas a'cap 25- carrying anti-frictional 3 maybe notched to fit in the notches of blocks 2! to securely hold frames 3 on the base.

' Keyed or pinned 'orotherwise attached to the vertic al'driven shaft 25--or fan shaft, are spaced "upper and lower fans 3ll'and 3| respectively. As

shown in Figures 1 and 5, these rotate with the fan shaft. The vertical frames 3 each have a series of spaced notches 32 in any set of which .the flanged edges 33 of upper and cylindrical sleeves 34 and 35 engage to mount the sleeves on the frames. The sleeves are relatively long and are arranged about the fans 30 and 3|, and may be adjusted up and down to vary the currents thrown by the fans, or brought together as shown in Figure 9, to form a single elongated air duct to increase the range of circulation. A semicircular sleeve 36 gives a directional effect to the current between the two fans, and is slightly sprung out to frictionally engage the sides of the sleeves 34 and 35 to be held in place. As shown in Figure 2, the neon lighting member 8 has the sleeves, and the distance they are set apart regulates the intensity of outward flow. To remove the motor 12, it is merely necessary to remove one frame 3. I raised to meet the upper sleeve if desired, and is sprung to securel maintainitspositionl As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the fans maybe caused to rotate in opposite directions to cause collision of opposing air currents and to reduce torque or twist which'is especially undesirable with light structures. In this form the lower fan 31 is mounted on a sleeve 39 which is slidable on fan shaft 25 and carries a Spring latching pin 48 for engagement in openings 4! in the shaft 25 to fix the sleeve on shaft 25 if it is desired to have the fans rotate in the same direction together. On the lower end of sleeve 39 is a beveled gear 42, and a similar gear 43 is keyed to shaft 25. A pinion 44 is mounted on a .carrier45 journaled in gear housing 45 above the motor housing.

When the sleeve 39 is released from shaft 25 to move down to mesh beveled gear 42 with pinion 44 fans 30 and 3| rotate inopposite directions, making it possible to suspend light structures by a flexible cord without twisting. For such position, the basemay be modified in design and the structure made relatively longer. When sleeve 39 is raised and pin 40 engaged in an opening 4| to couple the sleeve to the shaft, both fans rotate together and in the same direction, moving a current downwards and deflecting it at the base. The cylindrical sleeves 34 and 35 may be drawn together providing a single air duct through which a current may flow out over a stand or table (Fig. 9). The semi-circular sleeve 36 may be lowered to reach the base giving a directional effect to the current when desired.

It is believed that the operation and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the foregoing, but it is emphasized that interpretation of the scope of my invention should only be conclusive when made in the light of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A fan mechanism comprising a vertical open frame having a top and a base, a motor on the The directional sleeve 36 may be flanged to engage in certain of such notches whereby said deflectors can be adjustably arranged and the top of the frame having inwardly bent elements connected by spaced annular bars and joined at the top by a cap.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein outwardly, downwardly, inwardly and upwardly curved members are carried by the frame elements, and an illuminating device is carried by said curved members.

3. The invention as-defined in claim 1 wherein the motor has a housing member formed, having a top and a base, and a cylindrical side between the top and base, bolts connecting the top and base, and air circulation spaces, provided for the 1 motor to cool the same.

7 4. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein the vertical framemembers are removably attached to a base, and the base carrying notched spacing blocks for the motor.

5. A fan mechanism comprising a vertical open frame having a top and a base, a motor onthe base, a vertical fan shaft coupled with the motor and supported at the top of the frame, a plurality of spaced fans carried by the shaft, cylindrical deflector elements adjustably carried by the frame and arranged adjacent and about the fans and a semi-cylindrical deflector moveably and frictionally engaging the first mentioned deflector,

the disposition of which directs currents of and laterally with respect to the first named deflector.

6. A fan mechanism comprising a vertical open frame, having a top and a base, a motor on the base, a vertical fan shaft coupled with the motor, a fan on said shaft, a sleeve on the fan shaft, a fan on the sleeve, means for coupling the second fan with the motor to rotate opposite to the first fan, and means for coupling the second fan to the first fan whereby said fans rotate in the same direction in unison, and said frame and top being open to permit circulation of air, and adjustable deflector sleeves about the fan and carried by the frame.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein the means coupling the sleeve to the motor t be driven in a direction opposite the fan on the shaft,

base, a vertical fan shaft coupled with the motor and supported at the top of the frame, a plurality of spaced fans carried by the shaft, current deflectors adjacent and about the fans, spaced notches in said frame, said deflectors being includes a bevel gear on the shaft, a bevel gear on the sleeve, and a pinion either meshed or not meshed with the pinion on the sleeve, and a latch on the sleeve to couple the sleeve with the shaft when the sleeve bevel gear is unmeshed with the pinion to drive the sleeve with the shaft.

8. The invention as described in claim 5 wherein the adjustable sleeves about the fan are adapted to be brought together as a unit forming a single elongated air duct functioning to increase the range of circulation, and means for coupling said first fan on the shaft, and means for coupling the second fan to the first fan whereby the fans are adapted to be rotated in unison to throw an air currentdownward, deflecting at the base.

CECIL PUFF. 

